The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-09-10
In THE DARK.


"Nou don't mean that he murder
ed the boy that pretty, fragile-look-
ing little fellow"
"No, he did not murder him, but
he let him die" DIR. Cameron re-
joined. "Perhaps you were not
aware" he continued, "that the little
lad was somewhat feeble in mind as
well as body? attended him more
than once, ut Vandeleur's request,
and found that among other strange
fears and antipathics he had II NOR
bid dread of darkness. To be left
alone in dark room for only few
minutes was enough Ia throw him
into paroxysm Of nervous excite
mcnt. His uncle-who by the way,
proirsscd mnre affection for him
than could quite believe in, when
! noticed how the child shrank from
him-consultcd me as to the best
means Of overcoming this weakness.
strongly advised him to humor it
for the present warming him that
any mental shock might endanger
the boys reason, or even his life. /
little thought these words of mine
would prove his death warrant"
"What do you mean?"
"Only II few days afterwards, Van
deleur locked him up all night in a
dark closet, where he was found the
next morning, crouching against the
wall his hands clenched, his eyes
fixed and staring-dead."
Good heavens, how horrible
But no word of this was mentioned
at the inquest?'
mo; and did not hear of it my
self till long afterwards, from a
woman who had been Vandeleur's
housekeeper, but was too much
afraid to betray him at the time
From her, too, l learned by what
refined cruelty the poor little lads
nerves had been shaken and his
health undermined. If the inten.
ton makes the decd" James Van.
deleur was Il murderer
s | was silent a moment, thinking
j. with an uncomfortable thrill, O.
r Ethel's dream. 81 wish l had never
entered this ill-omened house!"
exclaimed at length. II dread the
effect of this revelation on my
daughters mind"
, "Why need you tell her ?" hC
questioned. "My advice is to say
nothing more to her about it. The
sooner she forgets the subject th'
better. Send her away to the sea
side change of air and scene viii
soon efface it fIom her memory"
He rose as he spoke and took W
his hat.
"What has become of Vandeleur p
| inquired. 81 have heard nothing
of him since we paid the policy"
"He has been living abroad, l be
lieve-going to the dogs, no doubt
. But he is in England now," the doc
tor added "or else it was his fetch
which l saw at your gate the othe
night"
"At our gate" l echoed in aston
ishment What the deuce was h
doing thcre?"
"He seemed to be watching tn
house. 1t was last Sunday evening
l had been dining with friends a
Richmond, and on my way back
between eleven and twelve o'clock,
noticed man leaning over the gat,
ofThe Ccdars. On hearing footstcp
he turned and walked away, but no
before had caught a glimpse of hi
J face in the moonlight"
\ "And you are sure it was he :?
almost certain-though he wa
greatly altered for the worse.
have prescntiment do you know
that you will see or hear of hin
yourself before long" as he shool
hands and went his way.
lost no time in following his ad
y vice with regard to Ethel, whom
despatched to Scarborough, il
charge of my married sister, fey
days later.
| had taken hearty dislike t,
4 4 The Ccdars, and resolved to get i
off my hands as soon as might be
Until another tenant could b
found however, l continued to occu
py it, going to and from town as be
fore.
One evening was sitting on tn
lawn smoking an after-dinner cigal
and re-rcading Ethels last letter
which quite reassured me as to he
health and spirits, when our sedat
old housekeeper presented hcrsel
with the information that "party
had called to see the house.
"a gentleman or lady?" l in
quired.